Chapter 2: Side-Eye and Broken Promises

For the wedding venue, I stand for one corner dey look.

I dey press my phone anyhow, but na lie, my eye dey track Kunle every move. The sweet jollof aroma wey dey float around no even move me. The DJ dey play Rema, but the beat dey far from my heart.

My eyes just dey follow Kunle anyhow.

Even as people dey hail am, na only that bridesmaid—Aisha—get his attention. My body dey vibrate from inside, like generator wey no get fuel—just dey shake, no fit work.

He wear one black suit wey fit am well, stand gidigba, gentle smile dey for him face.

The way the suit hug him body, you go think na tailor use jazz sew am. I remember the last time I iron am, beg am say make he try dey relax small, even dash am small suya to calm am. Now, he stand dey shine for another person.

He stand near Aisha.

I see am dey gist, her laugh dey ring like bell, nails painted red, she fit pass for beauty queen.

She hold red balloon, dey smile anyhow, cheeks just dey pink. Sometimes she go bend head, bite her lip, dey form shy and sweet.

I remember that style—she dey try use all the trick for the book. I just dey observe, my own face blank, dey pretend say I no dey see anything.

Kunle no dey remove eye from her, small small smile dey for him mouth.

If smile fit kill person, I for don faint. Even his eyes dey shine, that dimple wey I like dey show.

My chest just squeeze, e be like say I no fit breathe.

I hold my hand for chest, dey try steady my breath. If no be say na my bestie wedding, I for don run go outside, go cry small, clean face, come back.

Abi I dey overthink?

I ask myself, maybe I dey too sensitive. But e no dey add up. Since when Kunle dey shine teeth for another babe?

Suddenly, Kunle collect Aisha phone, squat down begin snap her picture. She dey pose anyhow, he dey patient like say na work dem pay am for.

If you see as e squat, gentle like say he be professional photographer. People dey hail, dey encourage am. I dey watch, my heart dey fall like old fence.

But that time we go Palm Grove Estate to see palm blossom this dry season, he no even get patience at all.

I remember how I dey beg am, "Abeg, Kunle, snap me well." He just frown, say sun dey too much, abeg make I hurry.

"Wetin dey special for snapping picture?"

He just snap like three, when I check, all na blurry shadow.

That day, I just bone, say I no go disturb am again. Now, see am, e dey shine for another babe.

Bitter taste just dey my mouth.

I swallow spit, my tongue heavy. I sip malt, but e no sweet.

I think say this wedding go change things for us.

In my mind, I dey form hope, say after today, everything go settle. I dey pray make miracle happen.

He don talk before say he get surprise for me for the wedding.

That talk been dey sweet me, I don even tell my sister say something big dey come.

Both of us sabi wetin that one mean.

Even Amara hint me, dey tease me, "No dull, wear your best gown o!" Na so I come package myself.

Eight years together.

Our people don dey call us husband and wife since year three. Na only ring remain.

He suppose propose when I catch bouquet.

I don practice how I go dance, how I go shed small tears, how I go call my mama for phone.

But now, he dey with another girl, dey smile for her like say na normal thing.

The thing weak me. Even the decoration for the hall dey fade for my eye.

Bride waka come meet me, tap my shoulder, break my thought. “Morayo, you don finally show! Big madam, when you go invite me for your own wedding?”

Her own laughter dey loud, she drag my hand playfully, no even know say my mind dey break. I try match her energy, but my voice dry like harmattan breeze.

She dey tease me, but the thing just make me more uneasy.

I force smile, reply anyhow, “E go soon reach.”

I for talk more, but my throat dey scratch. I look away, try hide the tears wey dey shine for my eye.

She follow my eye, see Kunle too.

Her eye sharp, she catch the matter quick. She wink, her voice low, "No worry, e go beta."

She wave am, happy. “Hey, school fine boy! Morayo say una get better news!”

People turn, some dey clap, some dey giggle. Even old men dey smile.

Her voice loud, everybody just look our side.

I quick hold her hand, make she no talk too much.

I squeeze her palm, try signal am make she no go spoil show for me.

Kunle hear am, turn look my side.

Him eye stay for my face small, then waka commot, cold and distant.

I feel the coldness for the air. Na so breeze blow, like say the AC increase.

Him voice calm but cold: “Abeg, no dey make noise.”

People for the table shift small, some dey murmur. I just look ground.

My bestie just give me awkward smile, eye wey talk plenty. I sabi that look—na pity, but she no wan talk am for crowd.

She rub my back small, her own face dey worry. She no too know wetin to talk again.

“We don break up,” I talk, force small bitter smile. “We quarrel. Cold war dey between us.”

I say am like joke, but my heart dey scatter. Even my voice shake, but I try package.

She pat my shoulder to comfort me.

Her touch soft, she whisper, "No cry, Morayo. Everything go set."